By James Dall Last updated: 25th April 2008
Carvalho: Confident
Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho believes Manchester United are set to crack under the pressure of leading the Premier League title race.
The Blues host United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1, aware that anything but a victory would effectively end their title hopes.
Chelsea lie three points behind Sir Alex Ferguson's leaders with three games remaining, while United boast a superior goal difference.
But Carvalho has backed his team-mates to pull off a dramatic turnaround, voicing his opinion that 'anything can happen' between now at the end of the season.
"If Chelsea win on Saturday then anything can happen in the last two league games because all of the pressure will be on Manchester United," Carvalho told the Daily Mirror.
"The Premier League title is like a bicycle race and we are chasing the leaders. But the nerves will show for United in the last few metres.
"This is the most important week of our season. We got the first good result at Anfield and we have put ourselves in a good position to reach the UEFA Champions League final.
"But now we can put ourselves alongside Manchester United in the league.
"To win against Manchester United would give us so much belief and morale. It's enormous for us because it means we can tie with them at the top of the table.
"A lot of people have written us off in the title race. But we are ready for the biggest games of our season and we are ready physically and mentally for the challenge.
"For the whole of the season I have insisted that we can win the double and each time, with every game it becomes more feasible.
"The draw at Anfield has only increased our morale and confidence for the game against Manchester United.
"But we know we have to go for three points. A point will be decisive for United and that will be a great result for them."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 6th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Fulham vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Wigan |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Liverpool |
| 15:00 | Bolton vs Chelsea |
| 15:00 | Hull vs Middlesbrough |
| 15:00 | Newcastle vs Stoke |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Sunderland |
| Sunday 7th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs Portsmouth |
| 16:00 | Everton vs Aston Villa |
| Monday 8th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | West Ham vs Tottenham |
| Saturday 13th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Middlesbrough vs Arsenal |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Liverpool vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs West Brom |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Blackburn |
| 17:30 | Tottenham vs Man Utd |
| Sunday 14th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Portsmouth vs Newcastle |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs West Ham |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Monday 1st December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 0 - 0 West Ham | |
| Sunday 30th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man City 0 - 1 Man Utd | |
| Portsmouth 3 - 2 Blackburn | |
| Tottenham 0 - 1 Everton | |
| Chelsea 1 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Saturday 29th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 1 - 4 Bolton | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 0 Fulham | |
| Wigan 2 - 1 West Brom | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Newcastle | |
| Stoke 1 - 1 Hull | |
| Monday 24th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wigan 1 - 0 Everton | |
| Sunday 23rd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Tottenham 1 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 0 - 1 West Ham | |
| Saturday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man City 3 - 0 Arsenal | |
| Portsmouth 2 - 2 Hull | |
| Stoke 1 - 0 West Brom | |
| Chelsea 0 - 0 Newcastle | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Liverpool 0 - 0 Fulham | |
| Middlesbrough 1 - 3 Bolton | |
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